Warm Mineral Springs opened for swimming only Saturday morning and, while the day began slowly, more bathers came to enjoy the 87-degree, mineral-rich waters as the day wore on.

SUN PHOTO BY ANNE KLOCKENKEMPER, annek@sun-herald.com

Visiting family from New York, Danielle Faynberg, 9, looks toward shore as she floats on a raft in Warm Mineral Springs Saturday.

SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herrald.com

North Port City Commissionier Tom Jones wades into Warm Mineral Springs Saturday morning after it reopened to the public.

SUN PHOTO BY ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH, eallen@sun-herald.com

A small group of residents line up Saturday just before 9 a.m. for the opening of Warm Mineral Springs.

SUN PHOTO BY ANNE KLOCKENKEMPER, annek@sun-herald.com

Warm Mineral Springs staff, left, welcome customers to the attraction. Many who came to the Springs' opening day Saturday expressed how happy they were the site is no longer closed.

By ANNE KLOCKENKEMPER

Staff Writer

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Lawn chairs and beach towels dotted the shoreline and the smell of sunscreen was in the air as Warm Mineral Springs officially reopened Saturday.

The 87-degree, mineral-rich water wasn’t filled “body-to-body” as it was when Anna Chambers first visited the Springs from Canada 29 seasons ago, but by early afternoon there were lap swimmers in the middle, children splashing in the shallows and walkers skirting the perimeter.

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